Film and Radio Guide (Oct 1945-Jun 1946)

Moy, 1946 FILM AND RADIO GUIDE n the task at hand. In the first place, all of the trainee’s time was at the disposal of the training program. Secondly, by physically removing him from the interests, responsibilities, and diversions that normally claim his attention, the armed forces made it possible for the trainee to devote himself far more completely to his studies than he could in a civilian environment. 3. Confidence of the Program in the Learner: Because of their urgency, the armed forces’ programs made unusual demands on the learner. The tasks to be learned were sometimes quite difficult and the time alloted for learning them, short. Nevertheless, the programs proceeded on the assumption that the learner could do the job. This atmosphere of confidence in the learner was an important factor in evoking from him a more energetic effort than he exerts in the usual learning situation. 4. Surprising Capacity of the Learyier: Probably the most significant fact that emerged from the armed forces’ training programs was the surprising learning capacity and adaptability exhibited by the average trainee. At least in so far as the acquisition of skills was concerned, the trainees revealed a reserve of ability that seldom comes into play, or is even suspected, while these same individuals are in the secondary schools. To be sure, the powerful motivation, the concentration, and the highly purposive atmosphere of the armed forces’ programs did much to bring forth the trainee’s best effort. Nevertheless, the results of that best effort were impressive indeed. It should be noted that, like the public education system, the armed forces too were called upon to provide universal train A Text Film for Physical Educators **T/ie Fundamentals of BOXINQ^^ 1 REEL, SOUND, 16MM With Carl Seibert Written and Directed By William Letvin Chairman, English Department Weequahic High School, Newark Produced by Q. R. Taylor Rental, $1.50 Sale Price, $21.00 INTERNATIONAL THEATRICAL & TELEVISION CORPORATION 25 WEST 45th ST., NEW YORK 19 ing. There was, of course, selection of candidates for specialized programs, but every man had to be trained for something. The overall program was thus one of universal education. For this reason, the new light shed on the potentialities of the average trainee must be considered especially significant for public education. 5. Specific and Rapidly Attainable Objectives: The very nature of the requirements of the armed forces made it mandatory to set up objectives that were not only specific, but also attainable after a short training period. Such objectives made possible definite and detailed course organization, and gave the training program a positive direction. Both instructor and trainee were fully conscious of the goal from the beginning to the end of the program. This concentration on the objective, coupled with the short duration of the training courses, helped to inspire and sustain a high level of effort on the part of all concerned. 6. Energetic Teaching : While only some of the programs were directly under the supervision of trained educators, all instructors were alive to the importance of good teaching. Teaching and testing aids were available in abundance. Text material was constantly being revised, simplified, and brought up to date. Many motion pictures, models, and other teaching aids were introduced, and adopted or rejected on the basis of their effectiveness as demonstrated by actual experience. There was in the teaching effort a zeal and a sense of motion and activity which, if it did not always produce improvement, certainly proclaimed a healthy unwillingness to remain static. Two Lessons These, then, are some of the aspects of the success of the armed forces’ training programs. What can the secondaryschool educator learn from them? There are, I believe, two lessons to be learned. First, the successful educational efforts of the armed forces have demonsty'ated the educability of the great masses of our citizens, at least in so far as the special requirements of the armed forces were concerned. This fact provides a basis for a restoration of confidence in the potentialities of the “average” secondary school learner, a confidence which many secondary-school educators of today seem to have lost. Second, the armed forces have found no magic key to teaching success. Instead, they have demonstrated that the well-established educational principles and practices, applied with zeal, imagination, and sincerity are still the teacher’s most effective tools. It is the proper use of these tools that the educator must relearn. While the secondary school can seldom provide motivations as intense as those resulting